General Astronomy Thread [With Pics!]

[Damocles]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

[bigimg]http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1209/ngc6726_lorenzi.jpg[/bigimg]

The Corona Australis. Southern Hemisphere, first recorded by Ptolemy. That dust cloud is actually a nebula that stretches 8 light years across and is pretty annoying to us as it covers the light from thousands of stars in a very interesting part of the sky.
At only 500 light years away, it's pretty much in our backyard

 

[abu13]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

[bigimg]http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1209/ngc6726_lorenzi.jpg[/bigimg]

The Corona Australis. Southern Hemisphere, first recorded by Ptolemy. That dust cloud is actually a nebula that stretches 8 light years across and is pretty annoying to us as it covers the light from thousands of stars in a very interesting part of the sky.
At only 500 light years away, it's pretty much in our backyard

I love pictures like this, you look up to the sky at night and see stars but you have no idea of what is actually out there. We are so fortunate to live at a time where the technology is there for us to appreciate these wonders.

I find it impossible to comprehend the size of space and am amazed by the pictures now available, i always think that there must be infinite possibilities when you consider the scale of space.

I am sure there must be intelligent life out there and maybe even a Phil Jones who can defend :)

 

[Damocles]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

I am sure there must be intelligent life out there and maybe even a Phil Jones who can defend :)

Let's not get carried away..

 

[speccybob]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19637073" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19637073</a>

Fireflies dancing beneath the stars, the last transit of Venus for 105 years and giant swirling galaxies deep in space. The 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has produced some awe-inspiring images.

 

[Garrinchas---Dog]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

Took this in August in Florida.... Free hand with an 18xzoom

 

[foetus]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19637073

Fireflies dancing beneath the stars, the last transit of Venus for 105 years and giant swirling galaxies deep in space. The 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has produced some awe-inspiring images.

the Spaghetti Nebula....that's insane! 3.00 for anyone interested

 

[Damocles]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

Took this in August in Florida.... Free hand with an 18xzoom

That's a bloody good picture. Are you into astronomy? There's a few of us on here who are into it to varying degrees.

 

[Damocles]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

[bigimg]http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1210/goataurora_casado_800.jpg[/bigimg]

A photo of an aurora taken from Greenland last August

 

[BlueHammer85]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

How does the aurora happen ?

 

[dazdon]

Re: General Astronomy Picture Thread

Radiation hitting the magnetic poles I believe.

That's not an exact explanation no doubt someone without a girlfriend will be along shortly with a more in depth explanation.

The stronger the solar activity the better the Aurora.